Spatial diversity reporting for effective reliable and low-latency communications

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure relate to a multi-antenna wireless user equipment (UE) calculating a covariance matrix corresponding to a covariance of signals received from each of its antennas. The UE further calculates the eigenvectors of the covariance matrix, and transmits feedback including information corresponding to the eigenvectors. Based on this information, a base station can determine to alter a number of beams for transmitting information to the UE, efficiently improving the reliability of transmission to the UE. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also claimed and described.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of wireless communication operable at an apparatus, comprising:
 receiving a packet utilizing a plurality of antennas; 
 calculating at least one covariance matrix corresponding to a covariance of signals, from each of the plurality of antennas, corresponding to the received packet; 
 calculating one or more eigenvectors of each covariance matrix of the at least one covariance matrix; and 
 transmitting a response to the received packet, the response comprising information corresponding to the calculated one or more eigenvectors, 
 wherein the information corresponding to the calculated one or more eigenvectors comprises one or more of:
 a number of the calculated one or more eigenvectors of the at least one covariance matrix; 
 information indicating whether the number of the calculated one or more eigenvectors of the at least one covariance matrix is greater than one; 
 information indicating whether the received packet was received over greater than one beam based on the number of the calculated one or more eigenvectors of the at least one covariance matrix; or 
 information indicating a beam width of a received beam, calculated based on an angular spread of the calculated one or more eigenvectors. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 transmitting a request to begin reporting the information corresponding to the calculated one or more eigenvectors. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a request to begin reporting the information corresponding to the calculated one or more eigenvectors. 
 
     
     
       4. A method of wireless communication operable at a first transmission point (TRP), the method comprising:
 transmitting a packet to a multi-antenna receiving device, utilizing a first number of beams; 
 receiving a response to the packet, the response comprising information corresponding to one or more eigenvectors of at least one covariance matrix corresponding to a covariance of signals from each of a plurality of receive antennas at the multi-antenna receiving device, used to receive the packet; and 
 determining, based on the response, whether to alter a number of beams to a second number of beams, different from the first number of beams, 
 wherein the information corresponding to the one or more eigenvectors comprises one or more of:
 a number of the one or more eigenvectors of the at least one covariance matrix; 
 information indicating whether the number of the one or more eigenvectors of the at least one covariance matrix is greater than one; 
 information indicating whether the multi-antenna receiving device received the packet over greater than one beam based on the number of the one or more eigenvectors of the at least one covariance matrix; or 
 information indicating a beam width of a received beam, the beam width based on an angular spread of the one or more eigenvectors. 
 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the determining, based on the response, whether to alter the number of beams comprises determining whether to alter the number of beams based further on one or more of:
 the first number of beams; 
 a number of transmission points, including the first TRP, transmitting to the multi-antenna receiving device; 
 an acknowledgment or negative acknowledgment (ACK/NACK) received from the multi-antenna receiving device, indicating whether the packet was correctly received and decoded; 
 an angle of arrival of one or more received signals at the multi-antenna receiving device; 
 an indication of power consumption at the multi-antenna receiving device; 
 a reliability target or a latency target for the multi-antenna receiving device; 
 a number of consecutive successful packet transmissions to the multi-antenna receiving device; 
 network loading information; 
 a capacity of the first TRP; or 
 an interference level at the multi-antenna receiving device. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 4 ,
 wherein the first number of beams is one beam; 
 wherein the response comprises the acknowledgment (ACK) indicating the packet was correctly received and decoded; and 
 wherein the determining, based on the response, whether to alter the number of beams comprises determining to increase the number of beams to two or more beams. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the information corresponding to one or more eigenvectors comprises information indicating a number of eigenvectors no greater than one. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 4 ,
 wherein the first number of beams is one beam; 
 wherein the determining, based on the response, whether to alter the number of beams comprises determining to maintain the number of beams as one beam; and 
 wherein the information corresponding to one or more eigenvectors comprises information indicating a number of eigenvectors greater than one. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 transmitting an instruction for a second TRP to either commence transmission of one or more beams to the multi-antenna receiving device, or to terminate transmission of one or more beams to the multi-antenna receiving device. 
 
     
     
       10. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:
 a processor; 
 a transceiver communicatively coupled to the processor, the transceiver comprising a plurality of antennas; and 
 a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, 
 wherein the processor and the memory are configured to:
 receive, via the transceiver, a packet; 
 calculate at least one covariance matrix corresponding to a covariance of signals, from each of the plurality of antennas, corresponding to the received packet; 
 calculate one or more eigenvectors of each covariance matrix of the at least one covariance matrix; and 
 transmit, via the transceiver, a response to the received packet, the response comprising information corresponding to the calculated one or more eigenvectors, 
 
 wherein the information corresponding to the calculated one or more eigenvectors comprises one or more of:
 a number of the calculated one or more eigenvectors of the at least one covariance matrix, 
 information indicating whether the number of the calculated one or more eigenvectors of the at least one covariance matrix is greater than one; 
 information indicating whether the received packet was received over greater than one beam based on the number of the calculated one or more eigenvectors of the at least one covariance matrix; or 
 information indicating a beam width of a received beam, calculated based on an angular spread of the calculated one or more eigenvectors. 
 
 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the processor and the memory are further configured to:
 transmit, via the transceiver, a request to begin reporting the information corresponding to the calculated one or more eigenvectors. 
 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the processor and the memory are further configured to:
 receive, via the transceiver, a request to begin reporting the information corresponding to the calculated one or more eigenvectors. 
 
     
     
       13. A first transmission point (TRP) configured for wireless communication, the first TRP comprising:
 a processor; 
 a transceiver communicatively coupled to the processor; and 
 a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, 
 wherein the processor and the memory are configured to:
 transmit, via the transceiver, a packet to a multi-antenna receiving device, utilizing a first number of beams; 
 receive, via the transceiver, a response to the packet, the response comprising information corresponding to one or more eigenvectors of at least one covariance matrix corresponding to a covariance of signals from each of a plurality of receive antennas at the multi-antenna receiving device, used to receive the packet; 
 determine, based on the response, whether to alter a number of beams to a second number of beams, different from the first number of beams, 
 
 wherein the information corresponding to the one or more eigenvectors comprises one or more of:
 a number of the one or more eigenvectors of the at least one covariance matrix; 
 information indicating whether the number of the one or more eigenvectors of the at least one covariance matrix is greater than one; 
 information indicating whether the multi-antenna receiving device received the packet over greater than one beam based on the number of the one or more eigenvectors of the at least one covariance matrix; or 
 information indicating a beam width of a received beam, the beam width based on an angular spread of the one or more eigenvectors. 
 
 
     
     
       14. The first TRP of  claim 13 , wherein the processor and memory, being configured to determine, based on the response, whether to alter the number of beams, are further configured to determine whether to alter the number of beams based further on one or more of:
 the first number of beams; 
 a number of transmission points, including the first TRP, transmitting to the multi-antenna receiving device; 
 an acknowledgment or negative acknowledgment (ACK/NACK) received from the multi-antenna receiving device, indicating whether the packet was correctly received and decoded; 
 an angle of arrival of one or more received signals at the multi-antenna receiving device; 
 an indication of power consumption at the multi-antenna receiving device; 
 a reliability target or a latency target for the multi-antenna receiving device; 
 a number of consecutive successful packet transmissions to the multi-antenna receiving device; 
 network loading information; 
 a capacity of the first TRP; or 
 an interference level at the multi-antenna receiving device. 
 
     
     
       15. The first TRP of  claim 13 ,
 wherein the first number of beams is one beam; 
 wherein the response comprises the acknowledgment (ACK) indicating the packet was correctly received and decoded; and 
 wherein the processor and memory, being configured to determine, based on the response, whether to alter the number of beams, are further configured to determine to increase the number of beams to two or more beams. 
 
     
     
       16. The first TRP of  claim 15 , wherein the information corresponding to one or more eigenvectors comprises information indicating a number of eigenvectors no greater than one. 
     
     
       17. The first TRP of  claim 13 ,
 wherein the first number of beams is one beam; 
 wherein the processor and the memory, being configured to determine, based on the response, whether to alter the number of beams, are further configured to determine to maintain the number of beams as one beam; and 
 wherein the information corresponding to one or more eigenvectors comprises information indicating a number of eigenvectors greater than one. 
 
     
     
       18. The first TRP of  claim 13 , wherein the processor and the memory are further configured to:
 transmit, via the transceiver, an instruction for a second TRP to either commence transmission of one or more beams to the multi-antenna receiving device, or to terminate transmission of one or more beams to the multi-antenna receiving device.